title: [Longitudinal myelitis in systemic lupus erythematosus].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Myelitis occurs in less than 5% of the patients during the disease course of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Longitudinal myelitis, characterized by inflammatory involvement of at least four medullar segments, is a particular form of myelitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a 31-year-old woman with SLE, admitted for paraparesia and delirium. Lumbar puncture and MRI led to the diagnosis of longitudinal myelitis. The patient rapidly improved after corticosteroid therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transverse myelitis in SLE patients has been already commonly reported, but longitudinal myelitis is uncommon. Longitudinal myelitis has to be suspected in case of paraplegia or tetraplegia, with sensory defects and bladder dysfunction. MRI shows typically T2 medullar hypersignals. This may result in neurologic sequela. Cyclophosphamide has been used in patients where corticosteroids were inefficient.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne, Hôtel-Dieu, place Alexis-Ricordeau, 44093 Nantes cedex 01, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Espitia
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ponge
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mussini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamidou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009187:Myelitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011379:Prognosis; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide